Decorative ware and the method of making the same



(No Model.)

0. I. GOODALE; DBGORATIVE WARE AND THE METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

No. 437,431. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

NvENTm f f. 4% VJ 0,, PHDTO-LIYNO., WASHINGYON n c 1 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. GOODALE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DECORATIVE WARE AND THE METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,431, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed July 18, 1890- Serial No. 359,195. (No model.)

To aZZ-whmn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES I. GooDALE,

of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Decorative NVareand the Method of Making the Same,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved method of forminga rustic decorative surface on vases, picture-frames, and other articles; and it consists in attaching to bark-surfaces, the result being a continuous rough or rustic surface, which is very desirable for ornamental purposes.

The invention also consists in the improved method, which includes the steps already specified, and in addition a final step consisting in coloring or decorating the outer surfaces of the pieces of bark and of the intermediate fillings.

The invention also consists in an improved decorative ware composed of a body portion, pieces of bark attached to the outer surface thereof, and fillings of hard-drying plastic material applied to the body in the crevices between the adjacent edges of the pieces of bark, the said pieces and the fillings, when the material of the latter is hardened, constituting a continuous rough or rustic covering for the body, adapted to be painted or other-' Wise decorated, all of which I will now proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a vase or flowerpot constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of a portion of a picture-frame constructed in accordance with my invention.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I take a body or support a, which has the general shape of the article to be decorated, and is, in fact, the structural portion of said article. When the article is a vase or flower-pot, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the body a is a receptacle, of cylindrical or other suitable form, having a suitable bottom and of generally solid and substantial construction. is a picture-frame, the bodya is composed of flat strips secured together in the usual manner to form a frame.

To the outer surface of the body a, I attach in any suitable way pieces or sheetsb b of any suitable bark. I prefer cork-bark, because this material is very strong, tough, and durable, besides being very light in proportion to its bulk and presenting a gnarled and rustic appearance, which is particularly desirable for rustic decoration. Moreover, the corkbark is not so brittle as many other kinds of bark, so that there is less liability of its outer portions chipping or scaling off. The bark pieces b b may be attached to the body a in any suitable manner, as by tacks or other metallic fastenings, or by cement or glue, or by both metallic fastenings and cement. Corkbark usually presents a series of concavities or depressions b on its inner surface, as shown in Fig. 2, and these, when the pieces of bark are laid upon the body a, form pockets, which are preferably filled with a cement filling c. The edges of the bark strips are preferably left in the natural form which is givenv them by splitting them or breaking them from the tree, so that when the pieces are placed upon the body crevices of a more or less irregular shape are formed between the edges of the pieces, it being impracticable to trim the edges of the pieces on straight lines, because such treatment would give an artificial efitect, owing to the rough and undulating surfaces of the bark, which could not be made to match if the edges were trimmed and abutted together.

In the crevices between adjacent edges of the pieces b, I insert fillings c, of a suitable hard-drying plastic material, preferably of When the article cement, such as is used in securing the pieces 7 to the body, said fillings 0 covering the edges of the pieces I) and extending inwardly to the surface of the body. The outer surfaces of the fillings are formed or molded while the material thereof is in a plastic condition, so that the'fillings present rough outer surfaces resembling those of the bark pieces I). The bark pieces and the molded fillings together present a continuous or uninterrupted rough surface, giving the article (when the same is of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2) the appearance of a short length of a log with the bark left thereon.

The outer surfaces of the bark pieces and of the intermediate fillings are decorated by means of a coating of paint, whereby the difference between the natural color of the maliterated and the whole covering given a homogeneous appearance.

It will be seen that the cement fillings c,

besides co-operating with the bark pieces in.

forming a continuous or uninterrupted rough bark-like surface, also protect and hold the edges of the bark pieces and prevent them from breaking away 01' crumbling. Said edges having been previously broken in separating the pieces from the tree would be liable to break and crumble if they were not held and protected by the fillings.

When the article is a vase or flower-pot, the inner surface of the body a, when made of wood, as it preferably is, is protected by an inner coating or lining a of cement, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim- 1. The improved method, hereinbefore described, of forming decorative surfaces on vases, picture-frames, and other articles, the same consisting in attaching pieces of bark to a base or support constituting the body of the article, applying fillings of hard-drying plastic material to the crevices between the adjacent edges of the said pieces, and modeling or forming said material to make the outer surfaces of the fillings continuous with the outer surfaces of the pieces of bark,whereby a continuous rough or rustic surface is produced, as set forth.

2. The improved method, hereinbefore described, of forming decorative surfaces on vases, picture-frames, and other articles, the same consisting in attaching pieces of. bark to a base or support constituting the body of the article, applying fillings of hard-drying plastic material to the crevices between the adjacent edges of the said pieces, and modeling or forming said material to make the outer surfaces of the fillings continuous with the outer surfaces of the pieces of bark,whereby a continuous rough or rustic surface is produced, and painting or coloring the exposed surfaces of the pieces of bark and of the intermediate fillings, as set forth.

3. The improved decorative ware composed of a body portion a, pieces b b of bark, attached to the outer surface of the said body a, and fillings c c of hard-drying plastic material, applied to the body between the pieces b b, the outer surfaces of the fillings being continuous with the outer surfaces of the pieces I) and serving to hold and protect the fractured edges of the bark pieces, as set forth. I In testimony whereof I have signed. myname to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of July, A. D. 1890.

CHARLES I. GOODALE.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

